Canadian Marketing Blog

What Diamond Shreddies says about us.

Every so often a campaign comes along that is truly smart, fun and memorable. The new Diamond Shreddies campaign is all three.

You've probably seen the billboards. Of course there are commercials too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZeAwpPqnJU

So, what's so great about this campaign? Basically, it deconstructs everything we do as marketers, advertising professionals, clients, and customers. For example, I use a certain brand of razor. It has a blue strip across the top. Apparently, when the blue stripe turns white, it's time to start a new blade. If you've ever seen a picture of me, or met me, you know I go through a lot of blades. The marketers of those razors are brilliant. I know it's smart marketing. And I know why they added the blue stripe. I’m onto them. But I admit that before they added that little blue stripe, I used those blades at least a week or two longer than I do now and amazingly they worked just fine. Go figure.

So when the truly brilliant makers of Shreddies came out with new and improved Diamond Shreddies (urban legend has it that an intern at their agency actually came up with the idea) they not only turned the fractured mirror back on us as marketers, they also stuck a finger in the ribs of today's gullible consumer. Take a look a this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOuC5jjTZOI&feature=related

Having sat in countless focus groups, I can’t believe how spot on this little viral video is. Poor consumer. They didn't stand a chance.

I’ve never been much of a breakfast cereal eater. But now that Shreddies come in diamond shapes, I’m seriously considering them as a snack.

Simply brilliant...any idea what agency is responsible for this?

I agree -- very well done. It's been a while since I have seen a marketing campaign this clever.

I read that Ogilvy and Mather is the agency that created the campaign (the same agency that Kraft works with). Apparently it was a summer intern who originally came up with the idea of Diamond Shreddies... smart kid!

it was indeed an intern at Ogilvy Toronto that came up with this

I think Square Shreddies and Diamond Shreddies are the same thing. You could take a square Shreddies, rotate it 45 degrees and you will get a Diamond Shreddies (maybe not as big); nothing that original. Both Shreddies taste the same. They just want to seem more innovative and sell more cereal.

This is an example as to how gullable the public really is.... it's the same cereal that I remember as a child, boring and tasteles... if you're excited for diamond shreddies, it's evident that you are a slave to marketing and advertising.

Patronizing and ridiculous. i'm going to take a break from this product for a while.....oh! did I say break? I meant BRAKE.... either way, it means STOP.

THE DIAMOND SHREDDIES AD IS THE BEST ORIGINAL CAMPAIGN I'VE SEEN IN ALONG TIME. THE SAD COMMENTS FROM THOSE WHO HAVE NO IDEA THAT THE REAL CHANGE IS NO CHANGE AT ALL. BRILLIANT! MY HUSBAND EATS SHREDDIES EVERY MORNING AND HAS FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AT LEAST. HE HATES A GOOD PRODUCT THAT GETS CHANGED EXAMPLE HONEY SHREDDIES BUT HE LOVES THIS AD. WHAT'S MORE, HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU EVEN SEEN A SHREDDIES AD? BRAVO !

This campaign has the mark of genius! They even have someone selling "the last of the square Shreddies" on Ebay!

When the consumer begins interacting with an ad, the campaign transcends advertising to become a part of the culture. Brilliant!

Possibly my favourite campaign of all time - perfectly simple and almost endlessly effective. Absolutely nailed this one.

Comments about this along the lines of: "This is the exact same cereal, just turned it 45 degrees" or "They haven't changed anything, they just want to sell more Shreddies" are almost as entertaining as the campaign itself :)